Celebrating dear old Dad

A Father's Day gift guide

By ABBYMASENHEIMER amasenheimer@tnonline.com

Dad's already received his fair share of DVDs, CDs, gift cards and books over the years. This Father's Day get a little creative and try one of these swaps instead of the traditional Father's Day gift.

For the movie goer: Instead of picking out his favorite DVD, take him to the movies. Dad will have a great time with his family and get to enjoy a new movie. Even better, get dad a Netflix's subscription and have a family movie night at home. Don't forget the popcorn! No movie is complete without the classic movie treat. A popcorn popper would also be a great gift for dad.

For the music lover: Swap CDs for iTunes gift cards. So many times an artist will only have a few songs on a CD that dad will want to listen to but with a gift card, dad can pick and choose which songs he wants.

Another great gift idea is to make dad a mix CD for his car ride to work. Put all of dad's favorites on one CD or even throw in some new songs dad will enjoy. If you want to make Father's Day really special, get dad tickets to see a concert. There are so many options out there that it'll be hard to choose.

For the foodie: Try making dad dinner instead of taking him out. Sure, dad may love a certain restaurant but a home-cooked meal will be made with love. Try a gourmet burger on the grill, complete with homemade french fries. There are tons of delicious and easy recipes out there. The hardest part is picking one! Don't forget dessert. Celebrate dad with an ice cream cake from Claude's Creamery, Palmerton.

For the technology junkie: Although these ideas aren't creative, they are practical and useful. A Kindle is great for dads who like to read and an iPad 2 is great for dad's on the go. Get dad a GPS if he doesn't like asking for directions or maybe even a new Blackberry or iPhone.

For any dad: Here are some ideas for the crafty type. Decorate a plain picture frame and then put in a picture of you and dad. Make a collage with pictures of you, mom, siblings, pets and dad's favorite things.

Draw and frame a picture of you and dad for his office. Write dad a poem or make him a card. Put together a coupon book for things such as mowing the lawn or a hug. The possibilities are endless.